RESEARCH -- MMS wins again in screen-based analysis

Gary Noone, senior currency analyst at MMS in London, said that the firm’s leading position is due to the speed and quality of its coverage. "We try to be first off the blocks as users appreciate the news first, but equally that it is accurate, provides insight, is objective and creditable," he said.

Rivals, however, are hoping the combination of the two services may open upthe market to more competition: "The move from two to one service will freeup budgets and it will also give the opportunity for their users to reviewdifferent services," said Rowland Park, marketing director of 4cast, whichplaced second.

Three years ago 4Cast found it difficult to break in to the core banking market, but this has been made easier by banks reducing their multiple information sources and focusing on value for money, he said.

Though banks remain the core market for screen-based analysis, due to its low cost, there is increasing usage by corporates according to both firms. "A corporate’s objective isn’t its treasury operation but their core business, but they do need to be aware of what is happening in the market," said MMS’s Noone. Park agreed. "Even though corporates receive a lot of free information from banks, they like the objectivity of our service."

In the areas of electronic news and price information, Reuters remains second to none by retaining both awards for the eighth consecutive year. Jim Saft, editor of Treasury news at Reuters in London, said that the firm continues to top the rankings due to the complementary non-financial news it provides. In the summer the firm launched an FX news page that offers both speed and improved indexing to help users find relevant news. Reuters analysis of 1% moves in currencies found that in a quarter of cases moves were due to either general or political news, which may not be covered by competitors.